Portland, OR

So maybe I am just really out of touch with the news and all (at least on the local level), but did you know that alfalfa sprouts have been recalled and taken off shelves in some stores in the Portland area?

I went to the Sellwood QFC, a generally pleasant store, and I was looking for alfalfa sprouts or whatever else they call them nowadays — onion sprouts, salad sprouts, radish or broccoli sprouts, I can’t keep up. I stood in front of the little area with the rest of the lettuce and salad stuff, and starting thinking I was just blind as I didn’t see them. Luckily, there was a QFC staff member nearby. I asked him if they had sprouts. He informed me that all sprouts had been removed from the shelves due to a recall.

Huh…didn’t hear about that one. Maybe I have become so numb to constant produce and meat recalls that I missed this one.

For anyone else who missed this story…copied from KOHD news, the ABC affliate in the Bend area.

09/04/08

Oregon State Public Health Division and U.S. Department of Agriculture officials today announced a recall of Sprouter’s Northwest brand alfalfa sprouts due to a Salmonellosis outbreak. Also, Public Health officials said that while most cases of salmonellosis do not require medical treatment, people who have eaten sprouts and develop severe symptoms should check with their doctors.

“These alfalfa sprouts have been identified as the cause of an ongoing outbreak of salmonellosis,” said Dr. Paul Cieslak, an epidemiologist with the Oregon Department of Human Services State Public Health Division. “Consumers who have them in their refrigerators should discard them immediately and if you develop severe symptoms call your doctor. ”

As of Tuesday, 13 outbreak cases had been identified in Oregon and Washington. All cases reported becoming ill since August 1, 2008.

The recalled sprouts were distributed through a number of wholesalers to grocery stores, restaurants, and other retail outlets in Oregon and Washington.

The recalled sprouts were sold in packages labeled “alfalfa sprouts,” “salad sprouts” or “onion sprouts” or were sold as mixed varieties that contain alfalfa sprouts as an ingredient.

“Sprouter’s Northwest has agreed to voluntarily recall its alfalfa sprouts and is cooperating fully with our ongoing investigation,” Dr. Cieslak said.

State and federal agencies are working with the Kent, Wash.-based grower to remove potentially contaminated sprouts from distribution. Retailers and wholesalers who hold any of the recalled sprouts should segregate them from other produce and contact their suppliers for additional information. Restaurant and delicatessen operators should check their stock immediately to identify and pull any of the recalled products.

Salmonellosis is an acute bacterial infection that can cause diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Symptoms usually develop within one to five days after eating contaminated food. Most cases resolve without the need for medical attention, and antibiotics are not recommended for persons with uncomplicated diarrheal illness. The risk of severe illness is particularly high among the elderly, the immunocompromised, and the very young.

People who have eaten sprouts and developed severe symptoms should discuss this exposure with their doctor. Some persons with salmonellosis develop serious illness that can lead to hospitalization and even death.

Raw sprouts have been repeatedly identified as the cause of outbreaks of salmonellosis, Escherichia coli O157:H7 infections, and other diseases. This is at least the seventh sprout-caused outbreak that has sickened Oregonians since 1996.

Oddly, this KOHD story is lifted verbatim from an Oregon Department of Human Services press release. So, KOHD didn’t even bother writing a story on this, just passes along the recall announcement as if it were their own. The site has a video option, but it doesn’t play. I may have too many things going on on my laptop. So perhaps before I start calling anyone out on plagiarism or lazy reporting, I should simmer down and give the station the benefit of the doubt. Still, they could have cited the press release on the report…

That being said, this is what the KOHD article left out from the press release:

The following is a list of package sizes of the affected Sprouters Northwest, Inc., products: •Alfalfa Sprouts 5-ounce cup •Alfalfa Sprouts 4-ounce clamshell •Salad Sprouts 5-ounce cup •Salad Sprouts 4-ounce clamshell •Onion Sprouts 5-ounce cup •Onion Sprouts 4-ounce clamshell •Alfalfa Sprouts 1-pound bag •Alfalfa Sprouts 2-pound tray

I highly doubt that anyone would still be using any sprouts from a week ago much less two weeks ago when the recall was reported, but just in case, you may want to toss any sprouts you have around. If you have any questions, I would recommend contacting your doctor or county health office. As the Sprouter’s Northwest brand comes from Washington, it is likely that a store near you is out of sprouts, whether you are in Portland or not.

Also, may I put in a plug to grow your own sprouts…You can buy a kit for around thirty or forty dollars. I saw some in Territorial Seed Company’s catalog this last winter, and thought about getting one. But sometimes, I get lazy and forgetful. I guess I will view this latest recall as a wake up call to finally order one. I love me some sprouts on my sandwiches.

alfalfa sprouts, recall, salmonella, salmonellosis, e coli, Oregon, Washington, Portland, Bend, food safety, health, onion sprouts, salad sprouts, Sellwood, QFC, Territorial Seed Company

It has been twelve, count’ em, twelve days since I got my first email asking me to volunteer for a democratic candidate for President, and that first call came from Barack Obama. Why has it taken Hillary Clinton almost two weeks before she started stumping for volunteers here in Portland? And allow me to mention that the email informs me that tonight is the “grand opening” of her Portland-based statewide office. Way to give people some advance warning there, Hil.**

**Please do not construe my good-natured ribbing of Ms. Clinton as an endorsement for Barack Obama. I am woefully undecided between the two candidates, as I see very little differentiation between them. I am resigned to the fact that I will be voting for one of them come November, whether I like them or not. I am resigned to the fact that I will not be voting for someone, but rather against someone.

Oh, that is sad, isn’t it? I am voting against someone. I really do want to vote for someone. I have since I was a young idealistic kid watching Reagan’s long-winded speeches and seemingly constant television addresses. But alas, not in my lifetime as of yet. I wish I could believe the hype of Obama, or think that Hillary Clinton is the answer to my lifelong quest to vote for a woman for president.

Ah, another day for me and all the little girls who want to believe that we can be equal with men. But before I start getting too serious, check out what I found. This picture is AWESOME. I found it on Snarkybehaviour.com. Don’t know where they found it, but it’s freakin’ sweet.

Anyhoo, Hillary Clinton is opening her office at NW 5th and Burnside, in case you feel like stopping by tonight for the opening ceremonies (for a campaign office — anything to attract volunteers, I guess). Congresswoman Darlene Hooley (OR-District 5, which includes Multnomah, but just a little) will be in attendance. Hmm, I wonder where Earl Blumenauer will be?

Hillary was in Eugene and Hillsboro over the weekend, and I expect we will be seeing more of her, but not too much yet, as she is campaigning heavily in Pennsylvania and its 158 delegates, whereas Oregon only has 52. Although Clinton opening an Oregon office is rather hopeful on her part that she will do well in Pennsylvania. If she doesn’t, she will most likely have to concede the nomination, but I am sure there will be the caveat that delegates can always change their minds at the democratic convention. Ah, politics, even elected delegates can flip-flop.

You can rsvp for tonight by visiting the Hillary for President website here. Not that I am urging you to, but I do like a good fight, so I would like to see Hillary stay in the race a bit longer. At least until the Oregon Primary.

democratic, candidates, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, volunteer, campaign, Oregon, Portland, Pennsylvania, Darlene Hooley, Earl Blumenauer

Maybe you marched this last weekend through downtown protesting the ongoing (and seemingly neverending) conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan…maybe you have been marching before, and many times throughout the last five years. Today marks the FIVE year anniversary of the official beginning of the US War in Iraq. Oh, sorry, I mean the allied coalition forces’ war in Iraq…or maybe it would be more accurate to write that it is the Halliburton-Parsons-CACI-Titan war in Iraq.

Either way you look at it, either the sunny Dubya optimistic (or just glaringly stupid) or the rational “this war was immoral and opportunistic” way, rabblerousers Moveon.org and local groups are calling for a national “New Priorities” vigil this evening.

You can go to the Moveon.org’s website to find a vigil near you, if you cannot find one listed below (or you don’t actually lilve in Portland). The vigils are taking place all over the country, so don’t think this is just a Portland, Oregon thing.

There is a vigil set for Pioneer Square, downtown, at Broadway and Morrison (720 SW Broadway to be exact), and as this is more centralized, it may turn out being the biggest. This description is included for this particular site/vigil.

This is a peace rally. Like Mother Teresa said: “I will never attend an anti-war rally. But you hold a peace rally, and I’ll be there.” So we will hold a peaceful candlelight vigil to end the War in Iraq and pull all troops out of the country. This war must end now! Are we going to wait around for another troop escalation by a desparate Republican war machine? No, we’re going to show ourselves and the world what it means to work toward a more peaceful world.

Other Portland vigils (I put my zipcode into the “vigil finder” and had it search for vigils within 30 miles of Portland Proper) are listed below.

NE 47th Ave and NE Multnomah, otherwise known as the overpass at NE 47th ave and I-84.

Jamison Square Park in the Pearl District

Outside Portland:

In Beaverton at SW 5th and Hall across from the Beaverton Library

In Vancouver at Ester Short Park at 555 W 8th Street

In Carlton at the Upper Park/Downtown (Carlton is quite small, so you cannot miss this one, despite only 8 people rsvp’ing)

Check out the Moveon.org website if you have any more questions. Most vigils are starting at 7pm, with the Vancouver and Carlton vigils starting an hour earlier at 6pm, and the Beaverton vigil will start at 5:30pm. If you didn’t “rsvp”, don’t worry about that, just go out and show your support for ending this war/occupation/new world order.

Iraq, Afghanistan, War, 5 year anniversary, Halliburton, Parsons, Caci, Titan, Iraq for Sale, Bush, Portland, Pioneer Square, Beaverton, Vancouver, Carlton, vigil, moveon.org

So, have you heard the rumor? The weather rumor? The rumor that our fair city might not be so fair on Saturday … that there might be white flurry stuff falling from the sky? That Portland might get SNOW this weekend!? Snow! SNOW! SNOOOOW!

Weather Underground says that on Saturday, there is a 60% chance of precipatation … but since it’s supposed to be 33 degrees, that also means that there is a 60% chance of FREEZING precipitation. Snow! SNOW! SNOOOOW!

I’m not a huge fan of snow. I lived in Anchorage, Alaska for almost a decade. I was young. Shoveling snow was a chore, it wasn’t something fun to play in. I had to shove dresses into snow suits (oh, that was SO comfortable!) and I once got a bus citation for having a snow ball fight at the bus stop! I like the snow for skiing and for looking at from far away, that’s about it. Living in Portland, I laugh when it snows - people freak out, they shut down, there are accidents all over the place, people get wacky and it isn’t quite as entertaining as most people think it would be.

Last year, snow turned Portland off. It shut the city down. (Do you guys REMEMBER that?) I was literally stuck downtown for six hours waiting for a bus to take me home. I had on boots, but my feet were so cold by the end of my wait, they were swollen and inflamed!

I hope that the snow we’re expected to get on Saturday either
a) doesn’t stick around for more than an hour
b) doesn’t actually happen or
c) falls so heavily and so quickly it shuts the city down in the middle of the night.

I’m such a snow-Scrooge!

About Portland OR, Portland OR, Portland, snow

Today in one of my public health education classes, the professor brought up something quite surprising to me … the benzene levels in our good ‘ol city. She told the class that Portland has the highest benzene levels in the nation and that since benzene is a carcinogen (cancer promoting chemical) we shouldn’t run on the Vera Katz Eastbank Esplanade since it’s so near the freeway (and therfore the benzene). I left class and here I sit, researching benzene. I thought I would share!

*benzene is a toxic substance found in gasoline (as well as cigarette smoke)
*the EPA has found benzene to cause “chromosomal abnormalities” and cancer

*the WHO has said “no safe levels of exposure” to benzene “can be recommended”
*the DEQ believes that the immune system, blood cell production & leukemia can be included on the adverse reactions list
*the Pacific Northwest receives most of the crude oil used here from the North Slope in Alaska
*this North Slope crude oil has a high level of benzene
*the crude oil isn’t benzene-filtered as well through Washington’s plants
*Portland’s levels of benzene are almost twice that of the national average but not high enough to trigger federal regulation (check out the above map if you live in the Portland area … my area is in the 1.3-1.9 range)

More Articles on the Benzene Levels
The Portland State University VanGuard - PSU Study Examines Freeway Pollution
Long Blog writes a bit about benzene research
Stand Tall for America encourages benzene reduction
Blue Oregon writes about the EPA finally listening to Senator Ron Wyden’s benzene cap request
Commissioner Sam Adams - Wyden Rips EPA Over Benzene-Heavy Air

To Reduce Benzene Production/Consumption
*maintain your vehicles properly, have your oil changed, keep your filters clean, just keep up on this
*drive less - take the bus or MAX, carpool, ride your bike, walk to class, just avoid being in your car
*use “certified” woodstoves and fireplaces which only burn compressed logs or dry and clean wood
*quit smoking and avoid being around those who are smoking

About Portland OR, Portland OR, Portland, benzene levels, Portland benzene levels, EPA, WHO, DEQ, reducing benzene

Hey Portlanders! Have you picked up this week’s Willamette Week? It was the first (I believe) edition with the new redesign and I’d love to hear what you all thought about it. I still haven’t decided whether I like the old format better or whether this new, seemingly more “modern” format is more my style.

There were quite a few things in this week’s edition that caught my eye that I thought I’d share with you (and link you to, if possible) just because I’m nice like that!

The cover story this week is on Crafty Bitches! I consider myself a “crafty bitch” and so when I saw the newspaper on campus today, I knew I had to pick it up to read. The article spans almost 8 pages through the first half of the newspaper and I read every single word of the piece written by Beth Slovic (bslovic at wweek dot com)

“Against one wall, an IKEA bookshelf is packed with neatly folded yards of fabrics in bright colors and patterns. Piled almost to the ceiling, they give the effect of a vibrant quilt draped against the wall. Next to the shelf, in a corner near a window overlooking Southeast Division Street, dozens of spools of different colored thread are packed together like crayons. Against another wall, rows of vintage sewing manuals, craft books and knitting patterns promise hours of reading and many more hours of tedious, eye-blurring, finger-cramping labor.”

“Wool is a gateway drug to harder endeavors. Just walk through a store like Redux on East Burnside Street, and it’s clear Portlanders are working with a much wider variety of materials—everything from skateboard parts to bike chains—to make crafts as diverse as the people creating them. (It’s not just women.)”

If you craft anything, I truly think you’d appreciate this article! Check it out!

Other things that caught my eye!

The Chuck Close Prints on show at the Horror Show, an article on a newly released (Tuesday, October 9) documentary movie Crystal Darkness about the dangers of meth. It will air at 7:30pm on October 9 “on most television stations across the state and at 9pm on OPB. It will preempt Wheel of Fortune, Access Hollywood, Access Hollywood, Extra and the second half-hour of Everybody Loves Raymond.”

The Winners & Losers Section - especially the part about our oh-so-sad football teams from Saturday: “This week’s civil war between Oregon & Oregon State football fans is over who’s more depressed. UO fans are moaning over a four-turnover collapse to Cal that killed the Ducks’ national contention. Beavers fans also saw a fourth-quarter freefall when ULA outscored OSU 28-0. Hey, Portland State won.” Oh how that made me laugh!

The random Enhance your eyelashes PERMANENTLY ad. Uhm, that’s just weird. It only gets weirder when I take another look at it and realize that the ad is from Northwest Surgical Hair Restoration. Weird. WEIRD!

I was excited to see the small ad for The Greek Festival this weekend. Friday & Saturday from 10am-10pm & Sunday from noon-9pm there is a Greek festival on NE 32nd & Glisan. I went last year, had a grand ‘ol time (mmm, the food!) and I am hoping to make it down there this year as well. It’s free to get into, even!

If you’re interested in reading more, please follow some of the links to WW and check it out! You won’t be disappointed in this newspaper!

About Portland OR, Portland OR, Portland, Willamette Weekly, Portland newspapers, The Greek Festival, Oregon State University, University of Oregon, college football, weird ads, Crystal Darkness, methamphetamine, The Meth Project, Chuck Close, crafting, crafty bitches